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 Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2015 3:50 pm
She entered with a smile, Barbary again to shoulder, his paws clasped over her breast without need of brooch. She'd been looking forward to this one all day of her rounds. This one was hers. This one she'd brought down herself. She had the trophy at home, photographed to preserve its temporal nature, handing from a bedpost. Besting an avatar of War at war was an accomplishment, whatever the circumstances surrounding. Passage in made no sound. "There's been operatives looking for you. Combing every piece of paper. Every scrap of carpet. We've been worried. A pity to find you this way. Such a pity." She tapped her cane on the floor thoughtfully. It didn't click. "You're likely tired of questions by now. Questions other officers keep asking you with vague threats, maybe pain here or there. Let's have our priorities clear- what you answer, and how you answer is going to be crossed against all the gathered information from inside this operation and outside of it. It will determine if you walk from here alive as Realgar, as Kairatos, walk at all, are repuposed into a Youma, or if your starseed is removed from all possible usefulness to any galaxy or time on the whole." " Yours, and others. You have a track record of not caring so much what happens to you. I can blacken the starseeds of the other senshi and knights we brought in one by one for you to see until you give me all that I require. As officers you could save them, couldn't you? As youma, they'd be lost forever. " "Is that clear, captain?" Barbary slunk down from shoulders and over to him, timing its arrival to her own steps. It wrapped as sure as a blanket around his legs from knees down to reinforce holds on him.
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Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2015 4:56 pm
He was silent when she entered, startled, but even reflexive noises still made his throat hurt. The Youma wasn't like anything he'd see, though that was no surprise. The rift was vast, it's creatures seemed like they could have been vomited out of Tartaros. And he should know, having been there. It even sounded like she had, to recite a list of things that cut into him like cold knives. Terror crawled in his stomach like nausea, and rage still crawled over his skin like heat, and all of it together made him feel even worse. Having it crawl over his legs didn't help either, and his muscles practically trembled with the effort not to try and pull away, to try and hide discomfort and disgust at the creature of chaos. And god what she said was terrifying. It was entirely too easy to picture Hvergelmer in sparkling black, not knowing him. To see himself broken, in ways she knew scared him. She hadn't seen his nightmares though. It was not in their power, it didn't take that to find out what scared him. He just had to keep telling himself that even if there was a quavering note of fear in his mind that was screaming that she knew. she knew everything and she'd take him apart she knew. He desperately clawed through her words looking for something grab onto that would let him stay this side of a spiral of terror, and he found it.One thread he could wrap his hand around and hold onto. ...and laugh.It was a weak, pained laugh, and it didn't last long before he he put his head back and rested his voice, already taxed from Cinnabar. "You'll do all that anyway." He rasped, adding. "How long have you been looking?" He asked, then,more accusingly. "How long before you noticed?" A pity. Ha. If they'd given a flying ******** about him, they'd have taken action long before he'd sought out the way to cut his leash before his fury and despair drove him to an untimely end. He was sure it would end the same way if they recorrupted him, and his time as Kairatos would be a brief respite from unfinished self destruction. A brief, mostly happy foot note to a broken toy the Negaverse wouldn't throw away because they didn't like to let go of anything. "Took you a while didn't it? Was it embarrassing?" If he was angry he didn't have room to be afraid. If he was angry it didn't matter as much if things hurt.
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Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2015 6:32 pm
"Very certain what I will or won't do. I promise, you've never met anyone like me. I take no shame from the mistakes of others, " Barbary's tail lashed at his thighs, the youma taking more exception to his laughs than mistress. Green, hollow points for eyes glared up from legs at the skirt, breastplate, and face beyond. Schörl's expression was a pleasant detached- professional, sharp glanced, and polite. She lifted her cane so that she gripped the bending portion of the magically reinforced rattan experimentally. "Falco had an accident. Not so much racing after that. Let's start there among my promises. Will you walk from here- how many questions will you answer and how. You will determine if this sheers through your knee ligaments. It can. " "Turn him, Barbary." The youma's paws slid along the floor, twisting against the mans hips and spine, against the chains anchoring his hands to the wall, to make this possible. "We'll start with the easy questions. Ones easy to corroborate. Ones you're very proud of, Falco. " 'Cosmos has been appearing with more frequency,' Apatite's orders were clear in that point. "What is the date of your purification, and what royal did you go to?"
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Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 8:16 am
He did kick at the creature then. Self preservation would not allow otherwise, though it was a futile gesture when he had very limited leverage and it had already found an grip on him. Falco had an accident This was no accident though, and she was banking on that. Banking on the roaring parts of the brain that said all of this was avoidable, if only he’d just surrender the information they wanted. Falco had an accident. Falco Marks is –dead-. There were people looking for him, people who counted on him, who believed in his strength. He was having a lot of trouble believing in that strength when he was chained and listening to his muscles and skin howl in silent protest, already waiting for that damn cane to hit. He could give her the names easily enough, but he remembered Starved *********, alone. Iris made him furious but… “New Years. Castor, in the library with a candlestick.” There was a little truth in it, and he felt guilty for that, and terrified for the rest, but let the mad prince suck on that. He wanted a war anyway. Let him have one. He’d escaped them for a whole year. He hadn’t even thought about that until now. Just one year, and one hell of a ride it had been, though he wasn’t sure he liked the brick wall that loomed at what might well be the end of this rollercoaster. People were looking for him. He hoped.
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 12:52 am
Warning: Violence, Gore A paw of Barbary's claws sunk into a struggling calf, the toothy maw latching onto the other ankle. There were no snarls or growls, but the creature vibrated as though it were doing just that. It didn't let him move. "Very glib." She gave an unconcerned nod. The object, of course, will lie to you, but it doesn’t matter. It is a process of breaking through the psyche. Every object has a breaking point and there are body language and facial indicators that the object is near his breaking point or has already reached it. The Bull of Mars is not at his breaking point, continue to administer to fears. "I can't help you if you don't help me." Schörl raised her cane and brought it down across the backs of his knees hard enough that the echo of the snap ran round the silent mirrors. She raised it again. Again. She did not worry of hitting Barbary- she was patient in her strokes to ensure precision. Barbary was not worried, and did his part to turn the Knight's legs by leading his toes. A total of twenty times the cane sung so that the skin was raw, split in streaks like stripes and some deeper. When it was done, she returned to a waiting stance, cane before her beneath both hands. The General watched him. Catch your breath, handsome."Meek do my ears seek refuge, Mild do my lips open for."
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 5:47 am
Violence, GoreIt hurt considerably worse than he would have expected. The Youma's claws puncturing skin, teeth too, where there were unfortunate gaps in his armor. These were bad enough, and he knew there was no small risk of infection, if Barbary was anything like a normal cat. But the Cane took the trophy. By their shape you'd think of it like a bunt instrument, but it felt more like a whip thanks to the flexibility in it. Like razors and fire slicing lines outward from the point of injury, with just enough calculated enough to bring back that skin crawling anticipation, long enough to cringe. He clenched his jaw so tightly that it hurt too, but it wasn't enough to keep anguished noises from escaping, even once he was reasonably sure that he'd loose his voice just because ********/> He was reasonably sure she'd take that personally, in her murder-robot sort of way. Agony stacked, he had vaguely remembered this from his nightmares about the crash, but those pains had been muffled by being memory and these were not. Mild? That was a laugh, coming from her, with blood dripping down the back of his legs. Even the cool of the glass, broken where Cinnabar had slammed him against it, felt better, though he hoped she didn't read even that on his face, or she'd turn it against him. "Hah... yeah...." His voice was ragged, but hadn't failed on him yet. "Frosty has the same effect on most people." "
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 3:53 pm
You certainly save time on not needing to ask questions to know that you're still feeling frisky. "You're not focusing, Falco." "I need you to focus. It must be the Mars thing, getting in the way. Don't you fret, I know just the thing to help you focus. " A quick step forward and her fingertips traced the blazon of his cuirass. Again, the general took her time, almost caressing the horns and nose. Black energy gathered at her fingertips. Then she pushed, toyed at the surface of the opening starseed-space like dabbling at the surface of a reflecting pool. "You remember how this goes? You won't remember much of anything if it goes all the way. But then...you wouldn't be able to walk very well. Better were it cracked by the energy, the changes unsalvageable, but you could walk and run. Others may even recognize you. Unless I do the same to them. Barbary doesn't seem to recognize anyone particularly. Redline didn't much either, you'll recall. " "Let's stay easy- Tell me about the differences of the knight orders. Lets start at the top with the C's. Tell me about the Order of Knights of Cosmos. I want to know their title names, like that pretty bird around the corner or so. Names you know, and what you have done beside them. "
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 4:36 pm
He was familiar with it. Too familiar. Two boys had died the night he'd gotten familiar with it, and it was his fault. It also told him that they definitely had Hvergelmer, that she was probably alive. Possibly not corrupted. They wanted things from her too no doubt. "You--- aren't wrong." He had to admit. It was definitely one way to focus. He just wasn't sure this was the time and place he wanted to be focused on finding out which was more important? His Morals or his Mortal Terrors. Could he still power up if he couldn't walk, or would the mantle of Kairatos lift and go... who knew where? C? C for Cove, who had smile brightly and held Hverlgelmer's hand until he hadn't anymore. He wondered if he'd see him again if she pulled his starseed. Or if she'd eat it. Would Redline still know him? He'd wondered that a bit. The creature had a strange sort of pack instinct... but that had been to Realgar, and he'd never been sure what aspect of him it recognized, only that it had learned to. But that didn't solve the immediate problem. Could he tell her anything and not cause harm? Their titles would pass on, it might endanger whoever followed them. "I've always been pretty good at popping wheelies, Bet I could do a kick a** one in a wheel chair..." He was even sort of surprised himself that that, instead of 'Cove and Degrasse, they're dead' came out. His voice was shaking, and it wasn't remotely all from hurt or exhaustion. He couldn't even look at her, or the hand she had brushing at the edges of the space that contained his soul. He'd start shaking too badly. "Bischophite informed me that it's dark red. It'll clash with your outfit." He added, with a wobbly, forced laugh, eyes squeezed shut because he wasn't sure he could stand to see what she did next.
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 7:47 pm
"*Magna di curant, parva neglegunt. I do not, Retiarius." Here is the largest and fiercest bull of all. Right for the fights of Madrid. Did Bischofite now? But you seem perfectly alive, for all that. Comes that of his machinations,or luck that some other came along to put it back in you? I'd bet the former just on his nature.
Well. Just because I'm a general doesn't mean I can't use the practice of throttling energy flows. Especially in so delicate a procedure, where the slightest but too much could break the seed and turn him into a youma before it was on her schedule. Her fingers stopped dabbling, entering in to wrap the starseed like catching a milkweed fluff, or butterfly, or other too delicate delight. Each edge was traced in slow contemplation. The tap of chaos energy in her mind's eye was just turned a hair. Just enough for the first drop. It was singular, ponderous and magnificent in its dark promises of pain. She pushed it to touch the starseed in her grasp. "Names of the Knights of Cosmos you have known. Descriptions of them." There, there is the prickled of sweat at my neck beneath the ascot. Like trying to draw water from stones. Mars is a dustbowl, so it fits.Ryuthulhu The gods care about great matters, but they neglect small ones
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 5:30 am
It was deeply, intensely hard to know if she would really go through with her threat, especially when she was doing the spiritual equivalent of drawing blood. If he'd been the only one captured, he'd have said no, but he was not alone, and there was a personal aspect to this torture. What the hell had them so mad on for Cosmos knights anyway? He was deeply aware of how disposable they were, that he could become a Youma, or be returned to being an Agent with no memory. He could tell her Hvergelmer's name, that was nothing she did not already know... but it felt like a betrayal, not at the same level as giving her Titan's name, but deep never the less. He still dreaded surrendering the names of the dead. "Trying to form a rare knight gallery? Hver's the only one I've met. We. Talk." He lied through gritted teeth, eyes still squeezed shut. Forgive me Hver please. She didn't need to know about Mistral. She did not need to know about the improvements to the knight rings, though if he could have sent her to Mistral... He'd have whipped up a big bowl of popcorn and watched with glee.
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 5:47 am
"Ahhhh-ahhh-ahhhh, Names. Not nicknames. And descriptions. " Another singular drop of dark, and she thumbed it in a slick smear across the starseed to do its work of assault. "Focus. I will not tell you again." "Full name and description of this 'Hver'. What do you talk about. And then Chronos knights you have known." Another drop. Barbary starting licking blood that ran down from the seeping knees with his great sandpaper tongue.
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 6:14 am
He didn't know what he'd been expecting. That she'd stop? Give him a break? The only thing she was looking to break was him, while she cataloged... what? The laundry list of knights? It was increasingly difficult to focus with her dripping poison at his soul, and he wasn't sure what it would do. Would his uniform blacken? Could you become a mix of both? "Maybe if you come closer and whisper it in my ear seeing as to how we're already being so... intimate." She'd empty him of information then empty him of everything else. Mars please give me the strength not to fail. His memories had told him already he had never been the most powerful knight, he'd been a rallying point of spirit and enthusiasm, but not a power house able to withstand endless torture, and he felt the same now. He'd slipped, maybe he could still dig in his heels...
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 6:45 am
Her mouth split from the polite, airline attendant pleasantness. It was a failure of protocol, but that was what practice was for. The smile reached a proportional middle of her irises. It kept going- garish, wolfish and too wide. Her teeth could have taken up all the light that should have been on her face, the rest de-emphasized and dark. In the end, that was all this charade could be for. She was the only one studying or following protocols. "Don't overture invitations you don't intend to keep, pet." Another drop, to coat and burn at the starseed, burn through all his mind until Mars cleaned it away in however many minutes, hours, days. "You might get what you ask for." You don't want me closer than this. Not with what you're already missing. But that is already more cheek isn't it. I think we're good for today. "I am done with questions then. It is time for answers. " "Barbary, hold." She drew her hand out. Called the guarding Captain in to do the job of removing the belt with its strap-skirts. Withdrew her folding knife from its place in breastpocket. We'll start with the Star then, like Hvergelmir. How about just inside the illiac? Tattoos go there all the time, why not a scarification star. Maybe the little ritual will do something on you.
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 7:45 am
Oh he would do so much right now to summon Asterion. "Ohyouhavegottobekiddingme." Nope this was definitely not awesome. This had to be some kind of cheating. He'd never pulled out knife when he was Realgar... though maybe he'd just failed to be more creative than carrying his keys. "Again, people, not that kind of date." He wasn't sure which was more likely to kill him if she 'slipped', the knife he caught a glimpse of when he opened his eyes, or embarrassment. why he even had the capacity left to feel humiliated left under the circumstances felt like a cosmic joke. Why couldn't he have Asterion's gift to burn? Embarrassment was the least of his concerns though when she started cutting patterns into his skin, and the fact that they were scars he did not 'remember' from that other future was absolutely no consolation at all. "Ffffuuuuck!! b***h you'd better hope they kill me or corrupt me because If I make it out of this with even one memory of you!"
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 8:46 am
When the star was finished, she blew softly across the raw underskin while waiting. As with Hvergelmir, there was no change in his aura, or the surrounding aura in the passing minutes. The general shifted, goading Barbary a little more to the side, giving her access to Kairatos' haunch. She looked up from her crouch. "If you make it out, I'll be waiting." You'll sit at dinner tables and the light will hit the cutlery on the table just so. And you will remember my smile. You'll be driving, and see chains dragging behind some 18-wheeler. You will remember the sound of my voice. You will lay in bed, some lover by you, and they will lay their hand on you to entice you...but it will be here. And under their fingers will be my mark. And you will remember my hands.
I'll be waiting.
If you leave here.
She started in to the other symbol, that of Mars like a brand on the side of his gluteus. "This won't take a minute."
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